As a Blue Knight I pledge to act with honor and
pride to promote motorcycling and motorcycle safety by being an example of
the safe use, operation, and enjoyment of motorcycles.I will work at all times to improve the relationship between the
motorcycling Law Enforcement Community and the general public. The
fraternal spirit will always guide me in relating to other Blue Knights.

Among the Blue Knights
it is said, "there are no strangers just friends we haven't met
yet."

1 . Law Enforcement Officers are seen
as authority figures. People deal with them differently
and treat them differently, even when they are not working. When a problem
occurs, everyone looks to the Officer to "take charge" and "solve the problem"

2 .
They are isolated. The wearing of a badge, uniform, and gun makes a Law Officer
separate from society. This separation leads to many psychological effects which
research shows can create negative personality traits.

3.
Law Enforcement Officers
work in a quasi-military, structured institution. There are proven mental health
concerns working in an "institution."

4 . Shift work is not normal. The
"rotating shift" schedule is very taxing on an officers life. Our bodies
are adjusted to what is called "circadian schedules" which is a repetitive daily
cycle.

5 . Camaraderie can be a two edged
sword. The law enforcement job nurtures a sense of teamwork and unity with
co-workers, what was once called "esprit de corps." It also stimulates a sense
of belonging that can create an "us or them" view of the world.

6 . Even the stress is different.
Officers have a different type of stress in their jobs, called "burst stress."
Burst stress means there is not always a steady stressor, but at times, there is
an immediate "burst" from a low stress to a high stress state. In others words,
officers go from complete calm , to high activity and pressure in one "burst."

7 .
The need to be in constant emotional control. Law Enforcement Officers have a
job that requires extreme restraint under highly emotional circumstances.

8 . The Law Enforcement Officer works
in a fact-based world with everything compared to written law. In the rest of
their life areas, clear right s and wrongs don't occur as often.

9 . The "at work" world of a officer is
very negative. He sees the bad part of society - the criminal, the abuser of
rules. This may skew the officer's opinions on the character of the
average human being. It creates a cynicism, a critical view of the world.

10 . Some children of Law Enforcement
Officers have a more difficult adjustment, given their parent's authoritative
role in the community, which can become an authoritarian style given child
non-comlpiance